The big house under the bigger roof

[Paul Clerkin]

The big house under the bigger roof - Westport House having its roof redone in 2007

Just came across this - interesting approach.

[millennium]

A case of temporary works being larger than the finished article! Did this require planning permission?

[Paul Clerkin]

Whatever about PP, it really needs a big illegal vinyl banner advertisement

[GrahamH]

Indeed!

Yes these roofs have become very common in recent years on large-scale restoration projects. We forget what a nightmare it can be for large parts of the year with the Irish and British climate trying to undertake major roofing works that can take many months. Not only do temporary roofs make working conditions much more bearable, they can also reduce costs, or at least be cost-neutral, in eliminating time lost through inclement weather. In the picture below, Robert Francis Architects in the UK finished the re-roofing of this Methodist church four weeks ahead of schedule.


© Francis Roberts Architects

You can clearly appreciate the comfortable workshop-type environment created inside.

On a more prosaic level, they can also useful for assuring completion of works within a timeframe for drawing down grant funding.

Castletown House was probably the first restoration project in Ireland to make use of such a structure on a massive scale. It was particularly useful in that case, as with similar projects, in the complicated field of rebuilding parapets, re-setting masonry urns, cornices and chimneystacks, as well as the more typical leading and slating work. With the battering Westport House gets, it's no wonder they went for this option! I imagine the the sides were later clad in translucent tarpaulin.

[apelles]

Strange how they didn't employ that free standing type of temporary roof structure on Longford Cathedral. They'll have to remove this lovely tin one before reinstating the copper one that was there before.

[Fearg]

If you can believe everything you read in the papers, apparently there is enough clearance to reinstate the original roof at Longford under the temporary one: http://www.longfordleader.ie/news/Patro ... 6714876.jp it looks tight mind!

[apelles]

"The temporary roof has been erected at a level that we can actually put the original roof back in place whilst leaving that roof in position. It's like a protection for the workforce so we can put the new roof on under that temporary roof," Mr Meagher added.

Mystery solved then!

Still you'd imagine it would be easier to re-roof with the other type of cover . . .Specially if your a roofer . . .With lumbago.

[apelles]

I dunno though lads . .Perhaps they've got a flat roof in mind.

Can't find a more recent pic of the original roof, this looks a lot higher than the current tin one.


Arial view from around 1950

[Fearg]

Maybe they will be able do it by removing sections of the temp roof? E.g round the chimneys/ clearstory. Also depends on what happens to those damaged internal columns, if they stay, then the original roof is a given, if not something lower could be put in under the tin?

[Paul Clerkin]

Very tight looking indeed